Apparatus for feeding and distrubuting concrete in slipforms



Jan. 31, 1967 R. A. HANSON APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTINGCONCRETE IN SLIPFORMS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1964 v Wu Q h N Ta3 a .3

INVENTOR. RAYMOND A. Hanson RTTYS.

Jan. 31, 1967 R. A. HANSON 3,301,150

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE IN SLIPFORMS Filed July13, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR. RHYMOND A7. Hmvsou HTTYS.

Jan. 31, 1967 R. A. HANSON 3,301,150

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE IN SLIPFORMS Filed July13, .1964, 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Rn YMOND 1-7. HFINSON Jan. 31,1967 R. A. HANSON 3,301,150

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE IN SLIPFORMS 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 13, 1964 INVENTOR. Ammo/v0 A #mvson HTTYS.

R. A. HANSON APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING Jan. 31, 1967CONCRETE IN SLIPFORMS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 13, 1964 INVENTOR.RHYM 0ND 17. Am NSON BY M f HTT YS.

Jan. 31, 1967 R. A. HANSON 3,301,150

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE IN SLIPFORMS Filed July13, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR RAY/noun H. Ammo/v HTTYS.

United States Fatent G 7 3,301,150 APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRUBUT-ING CONCRETE IN SLIFFORMS Raymond A. Hanson, 9 R. A. Hanson Co.',Palouse, Wash. 99161 Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,214 2 Claims.(Cl. 94-46) This invention relates to a novel apparatus for feeding anddistributing concrete in slipforms, the slipforms being used forcontinuous paving, of highways or slopes along paved canals.

Various arrangements have been utilized to feed and distribute concretein slipforms involving the use of a continuously moving screed ortroweling pan to smooth the concrete to the desired surfaceconfiguration. Most such systems involve a segregated conveyorarrangement where concrete is conveyed to the desired location along theslipform and deposited at the required rate. Such systems often usemoving hoppers or other conveying devices, wherein the concrete is notmixed from the time it is placed in the device until it has been placedand smoothed by the screed.

It is a first object of this invention to provide a rather simplearrangement for feeding concrete across the full width of a slipform andsimultaneously mixing the conc-rete prior to the final smoothing of itssurface. The concrete is continuously agitated as it is being fed acrossthe slipform.

Another object of this invention is to provide such an arrangementwhereby the concrete can 'be delivered to the machine at either end orat any intermediate part with equal facility. This becomes important inconstruction jobs where access to the machine might vary along thelength of the surface being paved.

Another object of this invention is to provide such an arrangement thatis applicable to use on side slopes as well as horizontal surfaces. Thetwo embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings show amachine for horizontal paving purposes such as in the paving of a high-.way, and also a machine for the paving of a sloped surface such as theside of a canal.

Each works on the same basic principle, although the particularmechanism illustrated differ in each instance.

These and furtherobjects will be evident from a study of the followingdisclosure, taken together with the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate two preferred embodiments of the invention. It is to beunderstood that these embodiments are not to restrict or limit the scopeof the invention, which is set out in the claims that follow.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the invention foruse in paving a horizontal surface;

surface, a portion of the front wall in the machine being broken away;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown .in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a-fragrnentary sectional view of the apparatus as seen alongline 8-8 in FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the slipform as seen'along line 9-9 in FIGURE 6.

"ice

In the first embodiment of this invention, illustrated in FIGURES 1through 5, there is shown a slipform paving machine for paving a surfacethat is horizontal or substantially horizontal, such as a length ofhighway. The machine is utilized continuously to smooth or trowelconventional concrete mixes that are delivered to the machine as itmoves along the length of surface to be paved. The apparatus illustratedis rather simple in structure, and is 'directly mounted on the ground bytwo crawler tracks 10 located at each transverse end of the slipformbody. The tracks 10 are mounted on side walls 11 that form the sideedges of the concrete that is to be applied to the surface between them.The tracks 10 can 'be carried by the sidewalls 11 in any desired manner,and normally will be vertically adjustable. The tracks 10 can beequipped with motors for independent driving of each side of theapparatus or can be driven by any other conventional device.

The slipform claimed, of which the sidewalls 11 are an integral part,also includes a forward transverse beam 12 and a rearwardly spaced panor screed 13. The lower surface 14- of screed 13 extends completelyacross the slipform and serves to smooth the concrete located forward ofthe screed 13 as screed 13 passes over it.

In the present instance, concrete is not poured into a hopper or otherconveying device on the slipform, but is merely dumped on the previouslyprepared surface in the path of the machine. The distribution andfeeding apparatus that spreads the concrete across the full width of themachine can best be understood from a study of FIG- URES l, 2 and 3.This system involves a fixed conveyor frame 15 that is supported betweenthe beam 12 and the screed 13 by means of longitudinal stringers 16. Thestringers 16 might be adjustably connected to beam 12 and screed 13 aswill be described below.

The conveyor frame 15 has two sprockets 17 rotatably journalled at itsrespective ends about parallel upright axes. The sprockets 17 areengaged :by a continuous chain 18 of conventional structure. Mountedperiodically along the length of the chain 18 are paddles 2t fixedindividually to upright stems 21. The lower end of each stem 21preferably extends below the bottom edge of each paddle 20 carriedthereby, providing a downwardly protruding mixing element for betterstirring of the concrete engaged thereby. The conveyor frame 15 has anupper ledge 22 that supports horizontal rollers 23 rotatably carried bythe individual stems 21. There also is provided a downwardly facingchannel 24 on the frame 15 that is engaged by upright rollers 25 on theindividual stems 21. In this manner, the individual stems 21 are locatedrelative to the conveyor frame 15 for movement along with the chain 18and are supported by the respective roller 23, 25 to maintain each stem21 in a parallel position as it travels the oval configuration of frame15.

The bottom edge of each paddle 20 is preferably either at the elevationof the lowermost surface of screed 13 or slightly above such elevation,so that the concrete engaged by the paddles 20 will be distributedacross the width of the machine and mixed at an elevation substantiallyclose to its final position after passage of the screed 13. The paddles20 travel from one end of the apparatus to the other, the forward flightmoving in a direction opposite to the rear flight, so that no part ofthe concrete becomes stagnant due to failure of the paddles 26 tocontact it. This provides both effective mixing of the concrete justprior to the smoothing of its surface as well as continuous, evendistribution of concrete across the full width of the form.

. In order to facilitate the feeding of the concrete, the drawings alsoillustrate a vibrator 26 located directly under the paddles 20 andcarried by a tubular support frame 27 adjustably mounted on uprightposts 28 by means of a horizontal telescoping linkage 30. By means ofthis arrangement, the individual vibrators 26 can be located at thedesired location below the paddles 20 along the width of the machine.There also is illustrated a transverse vibrator 29 located at theforward end of the screed 13.

The paddles 20, carried on chain 18, can be driven by any conventionaldrive arrangement. Shown generally in the drawings is a motor 31 thatdrives the shaft 32 for one of the sprockets 17 by means of a chain 33.The operation of the paddles 26 is preferably continuous, and eventhough the machine might be stationary for short durations of time, thecontinuous mixing of the concrete during such times, is advantageous andcontributes to the quality of the final paving.

One advantage of the arrangement illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through isthat concrete need not be fed to the moving machine from a truck orother conveyance.

Instead, the concrete can be merely dumped in the required quantities atany location along the width of the surface to be paved. The slipformwill then distribute and feed this concrete across its entire width asit passes over it. This eliminates the required waiting time by concretetrucks that is necessary when feeding directly into a machine.

a In FIGURES 6 through 9 there is shown a modified version of this basicarrangement devised particularly for use in paving sloped surfaces suchas the sides of a canal. a front wall 35 with a lower edge 36 conformingto the surface to be paved. The edge 36 is provided with a flexibleskirt 37 to form a seal between the frame and the interior of theslipforrn. Located rearwardly from the front wall 35 is a screed 38having a lowermost surface 44 The screed 38 and front wall 35 areconnected by top longitudinal stringers 41 and lower baffles 42 that aremerely upright plates to help prevent slipping of concrete down theslope being paved.

The device includes a slipform frame 34 that has The frame 34 is shownmounted on crawler tracks 43 carried by parallelogram arms 44 pivoted toframe 34 and to the tracks 43. The elevation of the frame 34 relative tothe surface on which it is supported is governed by cylinders 45. Theoperating controls and engines are shown located on a platform generallydesignated by the numeral 46.

The paddles in this instance are located in upper and lower flights in acontinuous conveyor arrangement. They are supported by two pairs ofsprockets 4'7 fixed to shafts 48 rotatably journalled between the frontwall 35 and the screed 38 at each transverse end of the machine. The twopairs of sprockets 47 are engaged by two continuous lengths of sprocketchains 50 which in turn are supported between the sprockets 47 by fixedguides 51.

The paddles 52 are fixed to the chains 50 and extend across chains 50 toprovide a moving element to move concrete up the slope being paved. Thepaddles 52 each include upright ends 53 and a curved plate 54 that joinsthe two ends 53. Paddles 52 are therefore in the form of an open bucket,the paddles 52 being open in the direction of their intended motionrelative to frame 34. As seen in FIGURE 8, the lower flight of paddles52 will be moving uphill to the right at the same time that the upperflight of paddles 52 will be moving downhill to the left. Although asmall amount of concrete might be carried over sprockets 47 at the upperend of the machine, this will be dumped immediately so that the paddles52 will be free of concrete as they travel downwardly along the upperflight of the conveyor. The function of paddles 52 is to push concreteuphill and fill any voids in the concrete over which they travel,thereby distributing and mixing the concrete while insuring proper andcontinuous placement thereof along the full width of the machine.

It is not necessary that concrete be fed at the lower end plate 55 isshown at the bottom end of the machine onto of the machine, but in thepresent instance a directive 4 which concrete would be poured from atruck or other conveyance. The concrete would then be engaged by themoving paddles 52, and carried upwardly to wherever it is required alongthe length of the slipform. The lowermost edges of the paddles 52 areagain above the lower surface of screed 38, so that the apparatusisalways supplied with a sufficient amount of concrete to completely fillthe area below screed 38. e

The paddles 52 are designed to be continuously operated, being turned bya powered chain 56 to the upper shaft 48.

The paddles, in each embodiment illustrated, strike off the concretebeing fed into the machine and spread this material during the surfacingoperation in a continuous fashion. It is desirable in some instances toprovide vertical adjustment of the paddles, and this could be done ineach embodiment with ease. Particularly, in the first embodiment, theconveyor frame 15 might be vertically adjustable at each end of thestringers 16, and this adjustment should preferably be independent, sothat the forward end of the paddles 20 can be elevated at an anglerelative to the rear end thereof. In this manner, the device can beaccommodated to a particular mix as well as to particular surfaceconditions on the surface being paved. The machine for paving of slopesutilizes a more restrictive feed arrangement for carrying the concreteup the slope and insuring its proper placement along the full width oftheslope, but it also could be adjustable if this were desired. Thecurvature of the plate 54 in each paddle 52 can be varied depending uponthe angle of the sloped surface being paved, but the important featurein both embodiments is the provision of a continuously moving paddleforward of the screed. The continuous moving paddle mounted on aconveyor insures both mixing and distribution of the concrete preciselyat the time before which it is finally smoothed to produce the desiredfinished pavement.

Various modifications might be made in this structure without deviatingfrom the basic concepts involved. For this reason, only the followingclaims are intended to limit or restrict the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. An apparatus for feedingand distributing concrete on slopes, comprising:

a slipform frame extending transversely across a slope face, said framehaving a forward upright wall and a rearwardly spaced screed joined tosaid upright wall by longitudinal bracing members; i

concrete receiving means on said framework to direct incoming concretebetween said forward upright wall and said screed; I

sprocket means rotatably mounted between said for ward upright wall andsaid screed for motion about parallel longitudinal axes locatedrespectively at the transverse ends of said frame;

endless chain means entrained about said sprocket means and extendingalong the transverse width of said frame in upper and lower flights;

and a plurality of transverse open faced paddles carried by said chainmeans in parallellongitudinal positions for pushing concretetransversely upward along the slope relative to'said frame.

2. An apparatus for feeding and distributing concrete on slopes,comprising:

a slipform frame, including a forward upright wall having a lower edgeconforming to the slope cross section and a rearwardly spaced trowelingscreed joined by bafiles located above the elevation of the lowersurface of said troweling screed;

ground support means connected to said frame for carrying said'framealong the slope;

a plurality of open faced paddles located in parallel upper and lowerflights on endless support means mounted on said frame along the spaceseparating- 5 flight of buckets extending downwardly to a point adjacentto said baffles; and means on said frame operatively connected to saidsupport means to drive the support means so as to move the paddles ofsaid lower flight in the direction faced thereby.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Clifiord 9444French 9446 Long 9445 Lewis 9445 X Miller 94 45 Perkins 9445 Guntert9446 Lewis 9446 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING CONCRETE ON SLOPES,COMPRISING: A SLIPFORM FRAME EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS A SLOPE FACE,SAID FRAME HAVING A FORWARD UPRIGHT WALL AND A REARWARDLY SPACED SCREEDJOINED TO SAID UPRIGHT WALL BY LONGITUDINAL BRACING MEMBERS; CONCRETERECEIVING MEANS ON SAID FRAMEWORK TO DIRECT INCOMING CONCRETE BETWEENSAID FORWARD UPRIGHT WALL AND SAID SCREED; SPROCKET MEANS ROTATABLYMOUNTED BETWEEN SAID FORWARD UPRIGHT WALL AND SAID SCREED FOR MOTIONABOUT PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL AXES LOCATED RESPECTIVELY AT THE TRANSVERSEENDS OF SAID FRAME; ENDLESS CHAIN MEANS ENTRAINED ABOUT SAID SPROCKETMEANS AND EXTENDING ALONG THE TRANSVERSE WIDTH OF SAID FRAME IN UPPERAND LOWER FLIGHTS; AND A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE OPEN FACED PADDLESCARRIED BY SAID CHAIN MEANS IN PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL POSITIONS FORPUSHING CONCRETE TRANSVERSELY UPWARD ALONG THE SLOPE RELATIVE TO SAIDFRAME.